To pet or not

Hi have strays/feral cats I,m feeding . 2older kittens and there parents. The kittens are about 8 to 10 months old and there kinda friendly. Just wondering since I live in the city if it would be safe for them if I got close enough to pet them. Would they just go to any human then? I mean not all people like cats just wondering if i'd be putting them at risk. What do you think?

That is a good question.  I suspect it depends on.

You do increase their chances for spontan adoptions, but is also increase their risk to be abused by villains.

I read once a book written by a swedish woman who helped homeless cats in Paris, France, helped by a friendly vet who did most of the work for free.   She wrote the friendliest and the most beautiful tended to disappear, taken by abusive murderous villains.

I myself would prefer to think they were spontan adopted, as exactly such a cats are the most probable candidates for spontan adoptions but friendly people.

But she who helped them several years at least, was apparently totally convinced most of them werent spontan adopted, but murdered in - horrible ways.

I want to believe, you do increase their chances, but as said, it depends on.

Thank you for taking care of these cats and kittens.
It would absolutely be safe for you to pet them. You might try petting them with a feather, first, to see how they react. And play with them--a string with a feather attached is cheap and fun for the cats.
They may or may not go to other humans; it depends on how comfortable with you petting them and if they have been fed by any other human. And if a person doesn't like cats, chances are he's not going to try to get close to them much less pet them.
You say you are feeding them. Are you also getting them fixed so they don't have any more kittens--and so you don't have to feed them too? Here is a link to a list of low cost s/n clinics by state.
Good luck.